Have I really been doing this for around 15 years? Well, aside from the year 2000, yes, yes I have. In all this time I've typically gone to this convention with the same group of people; even going so far as to increase our participation in the conventions we go to by going as press under the auspices of Dragon's Anime and TFA Cosplay. That didn't happen this year. No, this year I was on my own in regards to being press as the core group couldn't make it this year due to various factors. Still, I wasn't totally on my own, as there were others who we've known for all this time who graciously invited me to room with them this year. This worked out a lot better than I'd have thought, because even though the Vagabond Inn up the road from the convention center was more expensive than we'd wanted, they had bunk beds of all things, which were far more comfortable than the Coleman Cots we're usually used to using when we stuff ourselves into these rooms. I'll have to admit though, this year put it into perspective on just how much I've come to rely on Gensao, Pio, and Mayhem for all sorts of things little and big when it comes to covering this convention as press which caused me to miss out on a lot more than I'd have liked. This doesn't count all the other disasters outside of everyone's control that wound up occurring.

I'll admit, I'm not entirely sure what to say about this one. Not because it was bad, per se, but because a lot of what was done wasn't really tried before at your standard anime convention. Also, I wound up keeping a promise to myself that I'd go and sit in on some panels. So a double whammy for unusual conventions as a personal experience.

Really, there's so much good stuff to say about these events, that it's going to have to wait for the report when I get that written. For those of you waiting for the high quality torrents, I ask that you be patient. There were quite a number of movies this year, and uploading them all to the torrent box is taking awhile. When they get up there, I'll be sure to share them out. In any event, we get to see how long we stay up this time before we're flagged by some asshole rights holders for infringement, heh. Enjoy, one and all!

So...how about those lines? What, too soon? Shit, I've been putting off this report for a while, I figured...y'know...maybe we could have all...yeah, who am I kidding?

If you weren't at Fanime 2013 you MIGHT be wondering what I'm on about. Honestly...shit, we'll just start this by getting it out of the way right now. Fanime 2013 was a much nicer version of Anime Expo 2007. Yes, I went there. I mean, really, there's just no other way to describe this year's Fanime. It was a mess of long lines, crowded areas, and technical difficulties that would have made the place an absolute Hell to be at had ALL (there was one notable incident I'll describe later) the convention and grounds staff been as dysfunctional and downright evil as the ones that were at AX 2007. Fortunately this was not the case, so we should probably count our blessings, because that would have been the spark of that would have set off all sorts of fun fires.

Huh? What? Oh, right. Time for a report. You'll have to excuse the mess…yeah okay, the beer and various other alcoholic drinks scattered about, but I was at least rather mellow this whole convention. Even when they were doing what AX does best and not speaking to each other. At all. I kinda find it amusing that one has to stay a little bit 'happy' just to get through this convention, and that this year, being AX's 21st birthday, they tried to keep us 'happy' with various places to get alcohol, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

What? You thought I was just going to wait 'til right before AX? Or even some months after? You take me for that sort of procrastinator?

Yeah, I guess I am one of those actually. But not today, Galvatron! Oh no, for once, I have all my stuff done three days after con! That's right, it's all done! Well...I'll have the movies up in a bit, but they're all transcoded! Praise me! Praise me!

Yeah, okay, I didn't expect that to actually work either. Oh right, you wanted the pics, well here you go, you can find them here on TFA Cosplay. You're probably looking for the report this news item mentioned. Yeah, I can provide that too! I'll be getting the movies up later tonight, so stay tuned for more!

Sac-Anime is a semi-annual 3 day Anime convention in Sacramento, California which began in 2005 as an extension of the quarterly Sac-Con comic Convention. I attended Saturday at both Sac-Anime Summer 2010 and Winter 2011.

It started when I was being driven to the airport in some rent-a-shuttle you booked for a flight at early hours that should be outlawed or at least protested on a weekly basis, while feeling the effects of a cold just starting that I hoped in vain to whatever god I worshiped isn't a cold just starting make that dry scratchy feeling in the back of my throat. Bus driver was blessedly silent as I alternated between staying awake, silent religious supplication, and waiting for the drugs I took before I boarded to kick in. There's also this vague nagging suspicion that in my haste to get everything together, coupled with the pain I'm presently feeling, that I forgot something maddeningly important. Quick mental checks are not possible; haven't had anyone hit my turbo button yet by mainlining me with a Monster energy drink or even some of the finest brewed Columbian lighter fluid. What items I have high pri on my list, that which makes what I do possible at conventions; I do manage to confirm are in my possession before hitting San Diego International.

I first learned about Anime Conji back when I attended PMX with Aisu a few months ago. A San Diego anime convention was something that a few of us had been discussing in various forums, but actually putting it on ourselves seemed to me to be rather…too much like work, heh. So here was a guy passing out flyers for the first, and hopefully annual, anime convention for San Diego here at PMX. For those that are wondering, Pacific Media Expo is the convention that was started by Mike Tatsugawa after the management dispute of Anime Expo '04 and takes place in Los Angeles, California. At the time, like a complete dumbass, I took the flyer and forgot about it. It wasn't until a couple weeks before the convention that I saw a message on Facebook from Traci Hines who noted she'd be going there to put on a small concert with a few others. Smacking myself in the head, I immediately started the work I'd need in order to attend the convention. Given Anime Expo's recent issues, and likely decline, not to mention the problems we've occasionally had with some of their floor personnel over the years, another nearby convention to go to seems like something that would be best to cultivate if at all possible.